Did you know that “flaming” is not only a delicious pastry, but also a female combat weapon from the times of Kyivan Rus? The long and heavy wooden stick, which was owned by ancient female warriors, was one of the facts that were heard at the open online lecture of Doctor of Law, Professor of the Department of Law Natalia FILIPENKO “From Amazons to Commanders: The Evolution of Gender Equality in Military Contexts”.
The lecture took place within the framework of the activities of the Office of Equality, Inclusion and Safe Environment of Khai and within the framework of the School of Gender Knowledge. The professor took the audience through the centuries - from ancient Slavic traditions and the first women warriors to the modern Russian-Ukrainian war. She focused on the role of Ukrainian women in the liberation struggles of the 20th century: in the ranks of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, in the underground of the OUN and UPA, in rear work and on the fronts of World War II.
The focus was also on the transformation of the gender policy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after 2022. Currently, more than 70,000 women serve in the army, and more than 5,500 of them perform combat missions on the front line. The lecturer emphasized important changes in recent years: the implementation of the Sexual Violence Response Mechanism, the creation of a “gender risk map”, the analysis of the defense budget through the prism of gender needs, the opening of kindergartens at military units, and the development of psychological rehabilitation programs for female veterans.
In the end, the professor remembered the student of the 7th faculty Nastya OSINTSEVA, call sign “Pandora”, who saved fighters at ground zero and recently died from the consequences of a serious injury. Her story became a poignant reminder of the price paid by Ukrainian women defenders.